Saturday, July 18, 2009

Free Republic's Founder Jim Robinson calls for overthrow of the US government.

From JoeMyGod.com:

Jim Robinson, the founder of Free Republic, the most widely-read conservative internet forum, has issued a call for the overthrow of the U.S. government.

Therefore, We the People of America choose to exercise our right to throw off and alter the abusive government by peacefully recalling and removing from office the President of the United States, the Vice President of the United States and all U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives effective immediately.

An interim provisional Chief Executive and congressional representatives will be established as follows: The Secretary of State shall immediately assume the office of interim Chief Executive. The Chief Executive shall appoint and the interim Senate shall confirm an interim Vice President. An immediate election shall be held within each state legislature to appoint two interim senators to represent each sovereign state. A special election shall be held by all states within 30 days to elect interim members of the House of Representatives. Elections for regular government offices shall be conducted in November, 2010 as previously scheduled, except that elections will be held for all elective offices, including President, Vice President and all U.S. Representatives. U.S. Senators will be elected per class schedule by the various state legislatures.

Robinson's lengthy call to arms goes on to plan for the repeal of the 16th and 17th amendments, the abolishment of the IRS, the dissolution of social security, and the return of federal buildings, properties, and military bases to "their sovereign owners," the states in the which they are located.

Just for the record I love living on Cape Cod. I have lived here for 20 years and it is "la vida e bella" as they say... most of the time.

Now I know that tourism is the bread and butter for the Cape and far be it from me to crab about anything but it is nearly impossible to go anywhere on a Saturday in the summer. The Mid-Cape Highway is a parking lot in some spots and the drivers that are causing most of the problems are from Connecticut, New York and New Jersey. They seem to think of the streets of Cape Cod as the FDR on a Friday afternoon. You take your life in your hands making any kind of turns if they are around. The cutting people off, the passing on the left, the racing down side streets, no turn signals, the beeping of horns, all of it. You just want to grab them by their throats and say "Hey! Calm the fu@k down! This is vacation time and stop being so aggressive." But then that would make me aggressive so what's the use?

I decided to make pizza last night but I got home a little late to make fresh pizza dough so I bought a package of dough from my local Shaw's Market; a pepperoni, cheese and black olive pizza. I do not have a pizza stone so I use a 14-inch cast iron frying pan turned upside down as the cooking surface. That gives you a nice crispy crust on the bottom of the pie. (Note: the dough from the supermarket really sucked. Make your own dough.)

For a sauce I take a can of plum tomatoes, drain the juice and press the solids in a colander. I then add extra-virgin olive oil, tomato paste, pepperoncino, salt, and herbs and pulse that a few times in a food processor. Not too much now so you don't aerate the sauce and make it pink.

Pop the pizza stone or cast iron pan into the oven on the lower rack and pre-heat for 45 minutes at 475 degreesAssemble your ingredients. I always take the pepperoni and lay it out on paper towels and microwave it for 35-45 seconds to drain out some of the grease (a hat-tip to America's Test Kitchen for that one). Flour your work surface and press the dough out into a circle with your fingers.Use a rolling pin to complete the process.Place some cornmeal or semolina flour (I use cornmeal) on your pizza peel......and lay the dough out on the peel very close to the thin edge. Spread your sauce right out to the edge leaving 1/4 inch border. Sprinkle your cheese (I use a mozzarella and cheddar combination). Not too much now. Place the pepperoni onto the cheese. Add your veggie toppings after the pepperoni. Remember, the pepperoni is already basically cooked so it is ok to put the toppings over the pepperoni. I always put a "baccino" (a little kiss) of extra-virgin olive oil on the pizza before going into the oven

Slide that baby onto the pre-heated pizza stone or pan and cook for 8-10 minutes. Keep an eye on it or...You'll burn it like I did.

Oh well. The methodology was right but the execution was not great. We at FHP are not afraid to show our mistakes. Just remember to check the pizza as it cooks from the top as well as the bottom and very quickly too. Next time I make another pizza I'll post what it is supposed to look like.

I don't know about you but I thought that Marjorie Main and Percy Kilbride were hilarious as Ma and Pa Kettle. They have 15 kids and live on a junk-laden farm in Cape Flattery, Washington. I think that Ms. Main is priceless as Ma. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in the role of Ma in the Fred MacMurray/Claudette Colbert comedy "The Egg and I". The Kettles were such a hit in that movie that Universal Pictures signed them up for 9 Kettle movies. They were a huge success and brought Universal out of near-bankruptcy.

Last night TCM showed 4 of the classic comedies starting with "Ma and Pa Kettle" where Pa, wanting a new tobacco pouch sends off a slogan to a tobacco company and ends up winning a "house of the future". The Kettles move in and all hell breaks loose.

Here is a clip of Ma and Pa getting tax advice from their friend Billy

Many of us wish to live long, others have high hopes to prosper. Then there are those who want both. Those are called 'Trekkies". Trekkies may have been given a bad rap due to their anti-social behavior, their over-enthusiastic devotion, and the way a 60 minute show has overtaken their lives. Is it fair to them when we call them outcasts? Perhaps it's just the few fans of Star Trek who ruin it for the rest. Here are 15 pictures that give Trekkies a bad name.

15. Bringing A Moped To A Warbird Party - Listen, if you're going to play the part be sure to take it to the edge. 80cc's isn't going to take down the Enterprise, much less your buddy's Toyota Camry.14. Making Mom Chief Kool-aid Officer - Involving your Mother in your social life is comparable to the Kobayashi Maru scenario, you just can't win. You're batting about .030 when it comes to picking up women in that red shirt. Bring your Mom and you just swung for the Golden sombrero.13. The Homemade Costume - Can't you piss your savings away like other Trekkies by spending thousands on authentic costumes and props? You're embarrassing the genre by raiding your sister's closet and taping a paper badge to your shirt.12. Wrong Date - We all understand you're suppose to seek out new life and new civilizations, but don't try to breed outside your species. Trekkies don't date DC's. Any idea what a half Flash, half Tribble would look like?11. Bonus Dorkness - Trying to Nerd up a Trekky is like putting fuzzy dice in an AMC Pacer.10. All Levels Of Confusion - The easiest part of this kid's 18th birthday is explaining how they spent 18 months trying to adopt him from China, from there the story is going get really weird.9. Photo Shoot Set To Stun - If you're going to get dressed up in your favorite outfit, with your favorite stuffed animal... at least look like you're enjoying it.

8. Show Me Your Warp(ed) Core - I see man-boobs and beads, can we please pretend you bought them?7. Change of Command - Are we being introduced to the crew of the U.S.S. Down Syndrome?6. Phaser Safety - If you can't be responsible with your replica merchandise, then you don't deserve it.5. Alternative Universes - Of course we have always wondered what a Dr. Crusher/Cmdr. Riker love story would entail, but to imagine it we'd like to see it in its original time line. Not the time line where both characters have let themselves go and were struggling with their addiction to Chocodiles.4. Nebula Nuptials - We now pronounce you Dork, and Soon-to-be-exwife.3. Don't Cross (The Legs Of) A Klingon - Play the part! Show you have brass balls that would make Kahless sweat.2. Damage To Life Support Systems - Don't ruin two perfectly good boobies and make us decide if we like good Spock... or evil Spock better. You should just send us to the engine room instead.1. Prime Directive - The Prime Directive dictates that there can be no interference with the internal affairs of other civilizations, consistent with the historical real world concept of Westphalian sovereignty. It has special implications, however, for civilizations that have not yet developed the technology for interstellar spaceflight ("pre-warp"), since no primitive culture can be given or exposed to any information regarding advanced technology or the existence of extraplanetary civilizations, lest this exposure alter the natural development of the civilization. Although this was the only application stated by Captain Kirk in "Return of the Archons", by the 24th Century, it had been indicated to include purposeful efforts to improve or change in any way the natural course of such a society, even if that change is well-intentioned and kept completely secret.

We picked raspberries last night from the patch out back of the house. Last year Bob did over 50 jars of jam. He planted more bushes last fall and is expecting to have more this year. He has hopes that we'll eventually offer only our hand-picked homegrown jam at Chew for our customer's enjoyment.

I think Tobe should be a guest blogger on my site. What do you think? Click on the "comments" link below this post and let me know. You need not register to comment. Just select "anonymous" and let 'er rip.

If there are any other of you who wish to be a guest blogger, just let me know. I will "vet" your qualifications and let you know.

Friday, July 17, 2009

Today is my dear sister Brenda's birthday. I am certainly too much a gentleman to post her age, but as Mame Dennis said to her friend Vera Charles when Vera asked Mame how old Mame thought she was, "Somewhere between 40 and death" Mame replied. I hope that she has a wonderful day today and that her husband will be taking her out for a delicious meal to celebrate. She's a damned good egg and deserves it. He's a sweetheart so I'm sure something special is afoot.

I have dug out a couple of photos that she may not be aware I have and am posting them today.

Anyway, enjoy the photos Bren and Happy Birthday Doll!

Our sainted mother with Brenda.

Brenda, Fred and me. No, I am not the one in the middle... I'm the butch one on the left with the cowlick.

It is warm today, and a Friday so who wants to work, right? It seems from the traffic on my blog today that the folks in Washington, DC are really bored. I've had multiple "hits" on my site from The Victory Fund (a LGBT advocacy group), Reliance Globalcom Services (Networking/Infrastructure), The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (your tax dollars at "work"), and the Library of Congress Information Tech Services.

The page that lures most people into my web of fun is this one: Glamour Shots Gone Wrong. According to my logs this page gets 79% of all international traffic to my site. Some, but not all, of the folks who drop into that page (it gets spread around on Facebook, Twitter, etc.) go to another page or two. I hope they are enjoying it.

Not much posting today. I've been doing research for Mr. B in my little office at FHP Clubhouse. I haven't put the air conditioner in the window yet as it hasn't been uncomfortably warm. Well today it is. That baby goes in tomorrow.

In the meantime enjoy this little post I call "You named your restaurant WHAT??"

Thursday, July 16, 2009

An 18-year-old boy in Wisconsin is accused of tricking at least 31 male classmates into sending him naked photos of themselves and then blackmailing some of them for sex acts. By posing as a girl on Facebook, Anthony Stancl would ask male classmates for naked photos of themselves. Once the nude pictures were in his possession, Stancl, again posing as the girl, would tell the duped boys that if they didn't meet and perform sex acts on "her" male friend, their embarrassing photos would be forwarded to their loved ones. It's with this deception that Stancl received numerous sexual favors from several of the initial 31 victims.

What do I want to kvetch about today? My iPhone, that's what. It seems that any freebie cell phone given out by cellphone service providers include MMS messaging and a company like Apple, who makes arguably the best computers on the market, still have not rolled out MMS messaging on the iPhone. If you take a photo and want to send it as an instant message from your phone, you can't do it or you have to do it by jailbreaking your phone or go through a 3rd party application. Otherwise you have to send it as an email attachment. If you don't know the email address of the person's phone, or if they don't use email on their phone, you are out of luck. It really is annoying. I understand that the new iPhone OS (v3.0) is supposed to support MMS messaging but they still have not rolled it out. WTF??

I got an email from Tobin with some photos attached. Tobin is from Iowa and his family are farm folks. They have a beautiful spread (I'm told) and his kin have sent some photos of summer back home. Really neat pix.